Here are a few photos from the WMBC’s Reserve at Belvide
The star of the show – a fine adult Mediterranean Gull. Note the jet-black head, the blood-red bill with a black band, the prominent white ‘eye lids’ and the all-white wings.
A nice contrast in plumage and posture with Black-headed Gulls.
Here we see all the features well. Note also the rings on both legs. Research by WMBC members has tied the code ‘PRK6’ to a ringing scheme in Poland – which seems no more ‘Mediterranean’ than Belvide.
A flight shot. It really is a most arresting bird and can look more like a Barn Owl than a gull. The wings often look ‘paddle-shaped’ – compare with the pointed wings of the accompanying Black-headed Gull.
Less rounded here as it turns. What a stunner.
Another fine comparison.
And in flat light we see that the inner wings are less dramatically white.
Now for a few Black-headed Gulls pictures showing adults in full breeding plumage.
Two birds pass close.
One taking off from a breeding island. We note that the head is not truly ‘black’.
A gull about to take a (rather distant) bath. This plan view turns provides a very good illustration of the features of an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. The wing tips obviously darker than the rest of the wings – on Greater Black-backed Gull there would be little if any contrast. A pure white tail and a very broad white trailing edge to the secondaries.
About to enter the water and opening the primaries so we see through them and they no longer look dark.
An identification challenge!.
(Ed Wilson)
